Laundry tie-up device



Oct. 24, 1967 H. MAZOR 3,348,270 7 LAUNDRY TIE-UP DEVI CE Filed March 28, 1966 ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,348,270 LAUNDRY TIE-UP DEVICE Herman Mazor, 1701 W. 3rd St., 7

Brooklyn, N.Y. 11213 Filed Mar. 28, 1966, Ser. No. 537,763 6 Claims. (Cl. 24-16) This invention relates to laundry tie-up devices, and is particularly directed to means for releasably tying suitably folded or rolled-up material, such as lengths of roller towels, into compact bundles adapted for processing in washing machines.

In the conventional method of tying material of the aforesaid category in preparation for laundering, lengths of twine are tied around the opposite end portions of the compactly arranged bundle. Where mass washing is to be accomplished, special machines are generally employed to perform the tying operations, these machines being complex in structure and requiring a considerable capital outlay for their purchase and installation. In addition, they are frequently subject to breakdowns, and require constant maintenance and care, there-by adding to their operating costs. Even with these automatic tying machines, it is necessary to hand-cut the twine after the washing operation, preparatory to the subsequent ironing step. It is also not an uncommon occurrence for a length of twine to break while its bundle is in process within the washing machine, the broken twine often becoming entangled with other operatively agitated bundles, thereby not only interfering with the washing operation but also causing damages to the entangled bundles. It is also noteworthy that in the above-described conventional machine process, there is a continuing twine cost, since all the twine used for tying the material into bundles must necessarily be discarded.

It is the object of my invention to enable the tying of bundles of the aforesaid category without any of the disadvantages above described. Specifically, among the objectives of this invention are the provision of means to effect the tying of bundles for. hand or mechanized washing operations without the use of tying machines, and the maintenance of tying tension suflicient for firmly keeping the bundles in their compact forms throughout the agitating operations of a washing machine, yet yieldably permitting the permeation of the cleaning fluid into the folds and crevices of the bundle.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a device that can readily and quickly be applied by a relatively unskilled operator to said bundles, and that can as readily and easily be removed therefrom.

Other objects of this invention are to enable the continuous use of tying members without the danger of their breakage during the washing operation, and the repeated re-use thereof for successive washings.

And it is my objective to provide an extremely simple and inexpensive device having all the advantages aforesaid.

Other objects, features and advantages will appear from the drawings and the description hereinafter given.

Referring to the drawings,

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a tying member comprising a form of my invention, the broken lines showing the position of the holding rod during tying and untying positions.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of a laundry bundle, shown in broken lines, illustrating, at one end thereof, one of my tie-up devices in a position just prior to the completion of the tying operation, and at the other end of the bundle another of said devices in an operative tying position.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of said bundle operatively tied-u p by two of said devices.

In the accomplishment of the above-stated objective,

'I employ a tying member comprising a loop of flexible elastic material, said loop being anchored to the medial portion of a holding rod of semi-stiff elastic material, the opposite ends of the rod which flank the engaging portion of the loop being bendable outwardly away from the loop, to form two substantially arcuate arms in adjacent 'spaced relation. Two such tying members are employed at the opposite end portions of the bundle. In applying each of said members, the loop portion of each member is flattened to produce two adjacent sections, forming a double elastic band, said band being Wrapped around an end portion of the. bundle, the end of the loop being slipped over the holding rod while it is held in its above-mentioned outwardly-bent position, whereafter, upon the release of the elastic rod, the latter fiattens itself upon the bundle and the loop is locked thereover, all as will more clearly appear from the description hereinbelow given.

In the form of my invention illustrated, there are two identical tying members 10 and 11 adapted for operative tying engagement with the respective opposite end portions of the bundle of material 12 to be processedin -a washing machine. Each of said members comprises the loop 13 of flexible elastic material anchored to the medial portion of the holding rod 14 made of semi-stiff material of elastic properties, like neoprene. In the-em bodiment shown, the said loop 13 is anchored to the rod 14 by being knotted thereover, the knot '15 being flanked by the opposite arms 16 and 17 of said rod, the latter being normally in a substantially straight operative position.

In operatively applying the said tying members, such as member 10, to the bundle 12, the said loop13 is fiattended so as to bring the two opposite sections 18 and 19 into adjacent relation, whereby the loop 10 in effect forms a double elastic band extending from the knot 15 to the bottom end 20 thereof. The said double band is then wrapped around an end portion 21 of the bundle 12, and the two arms 16 and 17 of holding arm 14 manually bent upwardly away from the loop 10 and then towards each other, as illustrated in FIG. 2, said arms in this position being of substantially arcuate configuration curving towards each other. The said arms, now in their non-holding or inoperative position, are in relatively closely spaced relation, whereby the opposite end loop portion 22 can be slipped over and past said arms. The said arms, in said inoperative position, are preferably inwardly curved toward each other, thereby facilitating the operation of slipping said end loop portion 22 thereover. Upon a release of said two arms 16 and 17, the said end loop portion 22 Will become looked over and interengaged with said rod 14, the latter now being in its operative position and yieldably pressed against the bundle 12, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

When both of said tying members 10 and 11 are operatively positioned over the bundle 12, the latter is ready to be placed into a suitable washing machine. The length of the loops 13 have been predetermined in relation to the thickness of said bundle, so that the tying members firmly embrace the bundle to maintain them in their compact form. Yet, because of the yieldability of the loop 13, there is enough give in the bundle to permit the entry through the folds and crevices thereof of the fluid in the washing machine. Since the embracing band of each loop 13 consists of two sections 18 and 19, such sections can be disposed in mutually spaced relation, whereby the two tying members 10 and 11 in elfect provide f-our embracing bands which provide adequate embracing support for the bundle during the rotating and agitating operations of the washing machine.

After the completion of the washing operation, the bands and 11 are easily removed from the bundle. All that need be done is to deflect both of said arms 16 and 17 outwardly away from the bundle, to the inoperative position indicated in FIG. 2, and the end loop portion 22 then slipped over said arms, whereby the entire loop 13 becomes disengaged from the rod 14. The bundle 12 is then ready for the subsequent ironing process.

It has been found that tying members made according to my invention above described remain firmly in place during the machine washing operation, are unaffected by the washing action, are resistant to rupture because of their yieldability, and can be repeatedly re-used. The employment of my tying members has obviated the need to use the tying machines above mentioned, and has materially reduced the cost of automatic washing of such items as lengths of roller towels.

In the above description, the invention has been disclosed merely by way of example and in preferred manner; but obviously many variations and modifications may be made therein. It is to be understood, therefore, that the invention is not limited to any form or manner of practicing same, except insofar as such limitations are specified in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A laundry tie-up member for releasably engaging a bundle of material to be laundered, comprising a loop of flexible elastic material and a holding rod of semistitf elastic material, said loop being anchored to a portion of said rod intermediate the ends thereof, said rod having two arms flanking the anchored portion of said loop and being bendable outwardly in a direction away from said loop and into an inoperative position at which said arms are in mutually adjacent spaced relation, said loop being adapted to be flattened to produce a double elastic band comprising two adjacent sections, said loop being proportioned so that said band is adapted to yieldably embrace said bundle and the end portion of the loop pass over the arms when held in said inoperative position, whereby said loop will be interlocked with said rod when said arms are yieldably returned from said inoperative position.

v2. A laundry tie-up device according to claim 1, said rod being normally in a substantially straight operative position, said arms being of substantially curved configuration when in their said inoperative position.

3. A laundry tie-up device according to claim 2, said arms, when in their said inoperative position, being curved towards each other.

4. A laundry tie-up device according to claim 1, said loop being anchored to said rod by a knotted portion of the loop, said knotted portion being at substantially the medial portion of said rod.

5. A laundry tie-up device according to claim 1, said two adjacent sections of the double elastic band having portions thereof in spaced relation, whereby said Portions will be adapted to engage adjacent portions of said bundle.

6. A laundry tie-up device according to claim 1 in combination with a bundle of material to be laundered, said band being in yieldably embracing engagement with a peripheral portion of said bundle, the said loop being releasably interlocked with said holding rod, said rod being in pressing engagement with said bundle, said loop being so proportioned that when said arms are in their said inoperative position the end portion of said loop will be movable over and beyond the outer ends of said arms, whereby said loop will be disengaged from said rod.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS JAMES L. JONES, 111., Primary Examiner, 

1. A LAUNDRY TIE-UP MEMBER FOR RELEASABLY ENGAGING A BUNDLE OF MATERIAL TO BE LAUNDERED, COMPRISING A LOOP OF FLEXIBLE ELASTIC MATERIAL AND A HOLDING ROD OF SEMISTIFF ELASTIC MATERIAL, SAID LOOP BEING ANCHORED TO A PORTION OF SAID ROD INTERMEDIATE THE ENDS THEREOF, SAID ROD HAVING TWO ARMS FLANKING THE ANCHORED PORTION OF SAID LOOP AND BEING BENDABLE OUTWARDLY IN A DIRECTION AWAY FROM SAID LOOP AND INTO AN INOPERATIVE POSITION AT WHICH SAID ARMS ARE IN MUTUALLY ADJACENT SPACED RELATION, SAID LOOP BEING ADAPTED TO BE FLATTENED TO PRODUCE A DOUBLE ELASTIC BAND COMPRISING TWO ADJACENT SECTIONS, SAID LOOP BEING PROPORTIONED SO THAT SAID BAND IS ADAPTED TO YIELDABLY EMBRACE SAID BUNDLE AND THE END PORTION OF THE LOOP PASS OVER THE ARMS WHEN HELD IN SAID INOPERATIVE POSITION, WHEREBY SAID LOOP WILL BE INTERLOCKED WITH SAID ROD WHEN SAID ARMS ARE YEIDLABLY RETURNED FROM SAID INOPERACTIVE POSITION. 